John Mitchell

     John Mitchell was born, 31 May 1845, in Aberdour Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. A transcription of the Register of births 1820-1854 reads: "31st May 1845 Robert Mitchell had a son by his wife Isabel Morris born at this date, and afterwards baptised by the Rev'd Mr. Gardener, named John. Witnesses Andrew Shirer and Alex'r Pyper". [N.B.--This entry was one of four listed on the same page for children of Robert Mitchell and Isabel Morris.]^1,2,3,4

Jane Lovie Mitchell, John Mitchell and Alexander Mitchell were listed as children in the household of Robert Mitchell and his wife, Isobel Mitchell on the 1851 Scotland Census, at Glaslaw, in Aberdour Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. He was 5 years of age, born in Aberdour Parish and a scholar.⁵

John Mitchell was listed on the 1861 Scotland Census at Woodend, in Slains Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. He was a servant on the 255 acre farm of Francis Hay. He was employed as a cattleman, age 15 and born in Aberdour Parish.⁶

John Mitchell married Isabella Cheyne 10 December 1864, in accordance with the procedures of the Established Church of Scotland, at Manse of Tyrie, in New Pitsligo, Tyrie Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. The marriage record listed him as age 21 ( his death certificate says he was 19 at the time of the marriage) a farm servant residing at Boghead, Pitsligo, Tyrie Parish. It appears that he was younger than stated and she older. His parents were confirmed to have been as recorded herein.¹

John Mitchell, farm servant, recorded the birth of his son, Alexander Mitchell, on 28 October 1868, in Techmuiry, Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland; at 10:00 PM.⁷

John Mitchell and his wife Isabella Mitchell were listed on the 1871 Scotland Census, at South Mains of Techmuiry, in Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. He was head of household and a farm servant. Also present were his children, William Mitchell, John Mitchell and Alexander Mitchell. He was listed as 24 and born in Aberdour Parish.²

John Mitchell was listed on a birth record as the father of James Mitchell, 23 May 1873, New Byth, New Byth Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland; at 12:30 PM.⁸

John Mitchell, farm servant, recorded the birth of his daughter, Isabella Mitchell, on 19 October 1875, in Ardslaw, Pitsligo Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland; at 5:30 PM.⁹

John Mitchell and his wife Isabella Mitchell were listed on the 1881 Scotland Census, at Waterside, in Rathen Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. He was head of household and a farm servant. Also present were his children, Mary Mitchell, William Mitchell, John Mitchell, Alexander Mitchell, James Mitchell and Isabella Mitchell.¹⁰

John Mitchell, carter, recorded the death of his wife, Isabella Mitchell, who died 23 August 1890 at 47 Summerfield Terrace, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; at 10:00 AM of pneumonia of which she had suffered for one month.^11,12

John Mitchell was listed on the 1891 Scotland Census, at 47 Summerfield Terrace, in Aberdeen, Saint Nicholas Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. He was head of household and a Carter. Also present were his children, John Mitchell, Alexander Mitchell, James Mitchell, Isabella Mitchell and Mary Mitchell. He was listed as 47 years of age and born in Aberdour Parish. His wife, Isabella, was not present. She may have died. The 1891 Ancestry Index does not provide marital status. He may have been marked widower.¹³

He apparently immigrated from Aberdeen to Australia, about or before 1897. The death certificate stated that he resided in Queensland for 34 years before his death.
The following is an edited email received from John Mitchell, Brisbane, Queensland, December 18, 2002. We can't find any record of John Mitchell or Isabella Cheyne arriving in Australia, although we know he did. As well, we know two of their sons and two of their daughters came to Australia with their respective families. We also don't know when exactly John came to Australia. The only reference we have is the Death Certificate where my grandfather stated that his father, John, was in Queensland for about 34 years putting the date of arrival in Queensland about 1897 or so. He may have come to Australia earlier and ended up in Queensland, we don't know.
We presume Isabella stayed in Scotland somewhere or had died before the immigration.
From the 1891 Census, we should be able to find out if they were still living at Waterside in Rathen Parish in 1891. Many of the children should be still there as they were still quite young in 1891. By 1901 my grandfather James was in the Boer War in South Africa. However, his mother Isabella (#18) may still be there in 1901.
We can first pick up John when he nominated two of his sons and two of his daughters in 1910-1911. He gave his address as Lawnton (now an outer northern suburb of Brisbane). You have been sent the images of these forms. However, he did not appear on the Electoral Rolls (both the Australian and Queensland rolls) as living at Lawnton in 1910-1911. We next pick him up in the 1912 electoral roll, living with his eldest son William and his family on a farm in Kenmore now a posh outer western suburb of Brisbane). They only appear to be there for about two years before William and his family, moved to an inner southern suburb of Brisbane. John joined William there in 1917 at 'Farfaulds' 10 Jubilee St, Stones Corner. William died there in 1920 and John was on the electoral rolls there until he died in 1931. (Note that John's Death Certificate seems to indicate that John had been living at my former residence at Highgate Hill before he died). These two residences are about 4 miles apart.
So we don't know where John was, prior to 1910-11 nor between 1913 and 1917. Before he nominated his children and their families, we only know of him where he was in 1881 from the Scottish Census. If you have access to the later Scottish Censuses, you may be able to shed some light on the matter.
As you almost certainly appreciate, it is almost impossible to find a particular individual with a common name like John Mitchell when there are about 40 John Mitchells living in Brisbane at that time, particularly if they are living alone or with others with a different surname. It is almost impossible to be sure which is the correct John Mitchell. The only check available is there are others living in the same household with the correct first names.
A couple of weeks ago, I accidentally discovered from the 1921 electoral rolls, two other Mitchell's living at 'Farfaulds' 10 Jubilee St, Stones Corner along with John and William's wife and daughter. These are an Alexander and another James. Both enrolled to vote at the same date and both moved to other electorates within a few days of each other. Via the electoral rolls, we have been able to track down Alexander's whereabouts. He was one of only two lead glaziers in Brisbane at the time, and so it became relatively easy. He moved to central Brisbane in 1923 and stayed there for 12 years or so before moving to an inner western suburb. He was there until the early 1940's when he married and moved to a bayside suburb in the north east of Brisbane. He lived there until he died there without children in 1956. However his wife only died in 1997 and last week we have been able to track down his wife's niece who has just started to provide us with some information on her aunt and uncle.
According to a newspaper article that was in the possession of my late Aunt (Robyn's mother), this Alexander is a cousin of my grandfather as it mentions him and his three children (my Aunt, my dad and their other brother Ron). So this Alexander is obviously the nephew of Isabella (18) and grandson of Robert Mitchell and Isobel Morrice, and son of one of Isabella's Brother-in-Laws, - which one we are unsure of but we think it is Alexander - one of John's brothers. My cousin Robyn and her husband Kevin have found this Alexander as a 10 month old infant living with his father Alexander in Rathen along with some of his five brothers and sisters, from memory, there was a Margaret and an Annabel. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of these Census details at the moment. It also should be noted that the 1881 Scottish census also has another Alexander and grandson of Robert Mitchell and Isobel Morrice staying with them(R & I) at Cowbog on census night. This is the third Alexander as John and Isabella also had, a son Alexander staying at Waterside on Census night.
At the moment, we think the other James Mitchell that stayed with John and William's family at "Farfaulds' was this Alexander's brother and is believed to have died from info from Alexander's niece in 1925. You will note on the nomination form that I sent you, that John Mitchell nominated a NEPHEW James Mitchell to come to Australia along with the two sons and two daughters. Well you will also note on the nomination form that this James Mitchell lived at 35 Constitution St Aberdeen. Well it so happens, from info from the newly discovered Alexander's niece, that the newly discovered Alexander also lived at that address and Alexander's father (also Alexander) died at that address. It is believed that the Alexander that died in Aberdeen, is the brother-in-law of Isabella Cheyne (18).
Well all this from an accidental discovery on an electoral roll and when they were only on the roll for about 11 months. Luck??
All the best,
John Mitchell, Jnr.

Photo of John Mitchell taken about 1930, in Australia.

John Mitchell died 7 July 1931 of myocarditis in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The death certificate, provided by John Mitchell, Sunny Bank, Queensland, his great grandson, confirms the marriage to and the children of John Mitchell and Isabella Cheyne. It also confirms his parents were Robert Mitchell, farmer and Isabella Morris. He was a retired farmer, who died at the age of 86 years.¹⁴

John Mitchell was buried 8 July 1931, at South Brisbane Cemetery, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia..¹⁴